Comments on: ABC News: Elderly Couple Refuse Food, Water to Die; Get Evicted from Facility http://www.compassionandchoices.org/2011/08/18/abc-news-elderly-couple-refuse-food-water-to-die-get-evicted-from-facility/ End-of-Life Choice, Palliative Care and Counseling Sun, 29 Jul 2012 05:06:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Mark inBoston http://www.compassionandchoices.org/2011/08/18/abc-news-elderly-couple-refuse-food-water-to-die-get-evicted-from-facility/#comment-556 Mark inBoston Wed, 28 Dec 2011 04:33:46 +0000 http://blog.compassionandchoices.org/?p=1592#comment-556 I have read that death from dehydration alone can take 3 -14 days, depending on a number of factors, but I thought 7 days was the usual limit. My father has refused liquids and food and was in severe pain from throat, lung and endocrine cancer. So far it has been 6 days and he is still breathing. Legal considerations aside, I wish the USA was more enlightened about euthanasia and assisted suicide. My father is heavily sedated as I write this and thank god for narcotics. I just wish we could let him go with a large dose of dilaudid instead of having a long and unnecessary sedation in the hospice until he stops breathing or his heart stops. End of life issues are highly emotional, but we need to allow the patient and family to choose a demise that is rational and kind. I have read that death from dehydration alone can take 3 -14 days, depending on a number of factors, but I thought 7 days was the usual limit. My father has refused liquids and food and was in severe pain from throat, lung and endocrine cancer. So far it has been 6 days and he is still breathing. Legal considerations aside, I wish the USA was more enlightened about euthanasia and assisted suicide. My father is heavily sedated as I write this and thank god for narcotics. I just wish we could let him go with a large dose of dilaudid instead of having a long and unnecessary sedation in the hospice until he stops breathing or his heart stops. End of life issues are highly emotional, but we need to allow the patient and family to choose a demise that is rational and kind.

]]> By: James Leonard Park http://www.compassionandchoices.org/2011/08/18/abc-news-elderly-couple-refuse-food-water-to-die-get-evicted-from-facility/#comment-555 James Leonard Park Mon, 22 Aug 2011 19:54:40 +0000 http://blog.compassionandchoices.org/?p=1592#comment-555 Readers who want to know more about this method of choosing a voluntary death or a merciful death can go to an Internet portal called: "Voluntary Death by Dehydration: Questions & Answers": http://www.tc.umn.edu/~parkx032/VDD-Q&A.html James Leonard Park, advocate of the right-to-die with careful safeguards. Readers who want to know more about this method
of choosing a voluntary death or a merciful death
can go to an Internet portal called:
“Voluntary Death by Dehydration: Questions & Answers”:
http://www.tc.umn.edu/~parkx032/VDD-Q&A.html

James Leonard Park, advocate of the right-to-die with careful safeguards.

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